we need help.

Last week I reached out to my first mentor. A step in the journey of more doing. It took a year of thinking that I should, a week of reading how and why and two days of preparation. The conversation took no more than thirty minutes - and the ask alone less than 10 seconds. However, despite the preparation, the reading, the thinking and the honesty, I encountered a something that I hadn't expected and none of the articles mentioned - humility. I hadn't considered that asking for a mentor, was asking for help and asking for help was admitting that I needed help and that I could not grow alone. It seems obvious, no one advances in their career without the support of others, but we rarely (or at least I rarely) acknowledge it consciously. It is a great reminder of the hidden benefit of everyone around us. We're all constantly contributing to one another. And I'm thankful for it.

I Do.

I've been thinking about thinking too much. And, worse yet, thinking about thinking about doing for far longer. I've decided to start to do more. It's not the first time that I've tried this... tried to do more. But I'm sticking my feet to the fire. Trying to shift behavior. And I want to write about it while I do it. I'm starting with a list of ways in. And I'll be using the blog as a space to document the doing. The list:

• Writing more. (1/24)
• Why? I've got a shit memory and I move too fast without thinking. Plus, it's like calisthenics for the brain, and mine is getting flabby; the result of a work email diet. 
• What? Literally write more about something, anything in any form. But, there will be a focus on doing. 
• The Goal. There needs to be one piece of output on this digital thing. That's it. Every day.  
• Mentors. (1/22)
• Why? I read two things the other day - one said something to the effect of 'everyone I know who has been stuck/lost in a career has not had a mentor' the other said that basically you're an asshole if you choose to go this alone. 
• What? Build a network/board of directors. 
• The Goal. Just get some fucking mentors and be diligent about it.